Ohio State’s football, basketball and soccer teams all compete at high levels, so it’s not hard to imagine that the school would do the same in a sport that combines aspects from all three.

Ultimate Frisbee is a year-round club sport played on grass or a turf field. Ultimate is a seven-on-seven, player-officiated game that requires starts and stops, agility, eye-hand coordination and the ability to throw a Frisbee in a variety of ways.

Athletes play the entire game and must be ready to switch from offense to defense at any point. Ultimate has two offensive positions: a handler — like a quarterback — runs the offense by throwing the disc to the cutters — or receivers — to reach the end zone.

“What it requires from any person playing the sport is athleticism and sprint endurance, just as any other field sport,” Ohio State women’s coach DeAnna Ball said. “It’s a very tough sport to train for, and there’s a lot more to it than what meets the eye.”

Ultimate Frisbee club memberships more than doubled in the past 10 years, according USA Ultimate, the sport’s national governing body. It didn’t take long before Ohio State caught onto the trend and, like any other team, looked to contend.

Enter Cassie Swafford, who played soccer and basketball at Olentangy Liberty. At OSU, she latched on to ultimate during her sophomore year.

“My friend randomly wanted me to come to an ultimate practice with her so that she wouldn’t be alone trying it out,” said Swafford, 23. “Once I got there, I liked it.”

Ohio State never looked back once Swafford joined, winning its region and advancing deeper in the national tournament each year. This season, Ohio State won the national title, beating Oregon 15-11 in the final on May 26 in Mason, Ohio.

Along with seeing her team’s goal realized, Swafford also picked up an individual honor. She received the Callahan Award, given to the nation’s best player. Swafford, the team captain, showed her versatility by switching from cutter to handler to help Ohio State.

“We had a lot of speed, so it was a good idea for me to switch, since I was one of the better throwers,” Swafford said. “It was really a great experience to win after working so hard for so many years.”

Ball said she relished the opportunity to mentor Swafford, whom she said was driven from day one.

“I wish every coach had a chance to coach someone like her,” Ball said. “She was a smart and talented player, and she can be a great coach one day, if she wants to be.”

Swafford, who graduated in May with a double major in neuroscience and zoology, will attend Duke in the fall for its graduate program. She is hoping for a career in the medical field but wants to play Ultimate while she lives in North Carolina.

“I’m definitely going to keep playing for as long as I can,” Swafford said. “It’s just a ton of fun.”